Curriculum

Jacob's Ladder

Jacob's ladder Go to Curriculum multi-week pack

Bible Background

What Kids Will Learn

While Jacob was fleeing for his life, God met him in a dream. Jacob knew God as the God of his father, Isaac, and his grandfather Abraham. God showed Jacob that He wanted a personal relationship with him, too.

Scripture Summary

Jacob was Isaac’s second son and Abraham’s grandson. Jacob offered a bowl of stew to Esau in exchange for his first-born birthrights. After Esau took the deal, he became enraged at the life-long consequences and set out to kill Jacob. Jacob had fled for his life and headed to his uncle’s home in Haran.

Jacob spent the night on his way to Haran. He stopped at Bethel, about 60 miles north of Beersheba where Jacob had left his family. Bethel was the same place where Abraham made one of his first sacrifices to God. Bethel is also a place that became a central location for idol worship (the practice of which the prophet Hosea had condemned).

As he slept, Jacob dreamt of a ladder reaching to heaven with angels going up and down the ladder. God stood at the top of the ladder and offered the same covenant to Jacob that He had given to Abraham and Isaac.

Just like with his father and grandfather, God promised Jacob that his descendants would “be like the dust of the earth” and would be countless.

God doesn’t have any grandchildren. While Jacob’s father and grandfather both worshipped and followed God, God wanted a personal relationship with Jacob. God sought out Jacob specifically and personally.

Why Is This Important

While our parents and grandparents may believe in God, it’s not enough to rely on their relationship with God. God Himself wants a personal relationship with each of us and will seek us out.

Teacher Devotion

Scripture

In Your Dreams

“When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, ‘Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.’” (Genesis 28:16)

I recently went through a rough season at work. I could tell that it was affecting me more than I wanted to admit because I wasn’t sleeping well. Months have passed since that time, and the challenge has been resolved. Since then, I’ve been paying close attention to my sleep.

A few mornings ago, I woke up refreshed and smiling. I realized how foreign this feeling had become. As my head was clearing from such grand slumber, I remembered a dream. In my dream, I was also refreshed, and I kept saying, “It’s all because of savory bread pudding.” I laughed and jotted in my journal, “I’ve missed silly dreams, sleeping well, and waking with a positive outlook. This is nice.”

I’m not about to dissect the theological comparisons of Jacob’s dream of a ladder to heaven with my dream of savory bread pudding. Though I have to wonder if, just as Jacob had admitted, God was truly present while I was unaware.

God is everywhere all the time. His presence is with me right now– whether or not I’m aware of it. And His presence is with you now, as you’re running errands, as you sleep, and as you help a child with the same algebra problem for the fourth time.

I wonder how my outlook would change from day to day if I were more prone to proclaim, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” I think, ultimately, I’d become much more aware of His presence with me in the everyday aspects of life.

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for being with me all the time, everywhere. Please help me be more aware of Your presence in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Get the full Sunday school lesson plan

  • Bible Memory Verse
  • Interactive Bible Experience
  • Animated video with companion questions

Bible Memory Verse

You’ll Need: Masking tape

Get Ready: Make a masking tape ladder on the floor with five boxes kids can jump into.

“When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.’” Genesis 28:16

Say a phrase from the Bible memory verse and, one at a time, kids will repeat each phrase and then jump to another box.

Repeat until everyone has jumped through the boxes. Here are the phrases to use:

  • “When Jacob awoke from his sleep,
  • he thought,
  • ‘Surely the Lord is
  • in this place,’
  • Genesis 28:16

Once everyone has jumped through the ladder boxes, say the verse in its entirety together.

SAY: These boxes are a reminder of the ladder in Jacob’s dream. Jacob saw the ladder and saw many angels going up and down on it.

Interactive Bible Experience

You’ll Need: Supplies found in the room

Before class, using furniture and supplies in the room, make a simple maze that only has one way through it. Allow the children to walk one at a time and try to find the one way through the maze.

After everyone has had a turn, ASK:

  • Why was this maze easy or hard for you?
  • How many ways were there through this maze?

SAY: The important thing to know about this maze was there was only one correct way through it. That reminds me of something important I want to tell you about our Bible lesson today. What a crazy dream that must have been to see angels going up and down on a ladder, but it is also a great picture of One who came down from heaven to rescue us.

Open your Bibles to John 14:6. Read it aloud to the children.

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”

Read each phrase and ask the bold-faced question:

  • “Jesus answered.” Q: Who is talking in this verse? (Jesus)
  • “I am the way.” Q: Who is the way? (Jesus)
  • “The truth.” Q: Who is the truth? (Jesus)
  • “And the life.” Q: Who is the life? (Jesus)
  • “No one comes to the Father” Q: Who is the father? (God)
  • “No one comes to the Father except through me.” Q: Who can go to God without Jesus? (No one)
  • Who is the only way to the Father? (Jesus)

SAY: This is important information so listen closely. Jesus is the only way for us to get to God.

Snack

Ladder Snacks

You’ll Need: Small pretzel sticks, Small marshmallows, Paper plates

SAY: In today’s Bible lesson, we learned that Jacob saw a ladder in his dream. Let’s make Ladder Snacks today.

Have kids follow these steps to make their Ladder Snack.

  • Lay a handful of pretzel sticks and marshmallows on your plate.
  • Use your pretzel sticks and marshmallows to create a ladder.
  • Enjoy

Game

Climb the Ladder

You’ll Need: Masking tape, Large playing area

Get Ready: Before play tape off the playing area to look like a large ladder or a football field.

Have kids stand at the far end of the playing area; this is the bottom of the ladder. You’ll stand at the other end of the ladder which is the top. The goal is to get to you at your end.

Play the game as follows:

  • Tell children that when you say, “Jacob,” they can walk slowly toward you.
  • When you say, “Stone,” they must stop.
  • If they move any other time, they must go back to the beginning.
  • If kids do not freeze immediately when you call “Stone,” they must go back to the beginning of the ladder.
  • The first person to the top of the ladder wins.
  • Play several rounds

SAY: When Jacob woke from his sleep, he exclaimed, “Surely the Lord is in this place.”
 

Craft

Stone Art

You’ll Need: Larger rocks/stones - one per child, Paint, Paint brushes, Hand wipes

Give each child a stone.

SAY: What if I told you that you had to use this stone for a pillow tonight? Would you sleep well? I know I wouldn’t. Well you don’t have to use these stones as a pillow, like Jacob did, you get to use them for art.

Have kids follow these steps to make their Stone Art.

  • Paint something on your rock that reminds you of the Bible lesson.  You can paint an angel, a ladder, zzzz’s like someone is sleeping, or something else.

After cleanup time, have kids show and explain their Stone Art to the entire class.

Prayer

Ladder Up Prayers

You’ll Need: One blue construction paper sheet per child, Nine popsicle sticks per child, Glue

Get Ready:
Make a set of prayer sticks for each child. Leave four blank, but on five write one of the following words on each stick:

  • Family
  • Teachers
  • Leaders
  • Sick
  • Me

Follow these steps:

  • Give each child a piece of blue construction paper.
  • Help them glue their four popsicle sticks (two on each side) vertically up the sides of the paper parallel to each other, the width of a popsicle stick. This will make the sides of the ladder.
  • Then glue the five popsicle sticks in the middle between the side sticks like the steps on a ladder with the words showing.

Once kids are finished, guide them to pray for each of the items listed on their ladder steps. Encourage kids to take their Ladder Prayer home to continue praying.

PRAY: God, we thank You that we can talk to You about anything. Thank You for hearing our prayer today. In Jesus’ name, amen.